sports bra

noun

plural sports bras

: a usually wireless bra that is designed especially to minimize movement of and provide sufficient support for the breasts during physical activity

… a high-impact sports bra that's designed to provide ample support to women with larger chests.—Jemicah Colleen Marasigan

If you're a woman who experiences breast discomfort … while exercising, try a sports bra. The idea is to minimize motion and reduce chafing.—University of California Wellness Letter

Examples of sports bra in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

It is paired with a matching yellow mini duffel handbag and a thin lycra and power mesh sports bra. — Kaio Cesar, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026 The answer, of course, is a heavy-duty sports bra and airy shorts with a liner for a little extra coverage. — India Roby, Glamour, 4 June 2026 The star also appeared to keep up with her workouts while on holiday, posting a photo with a friend while wearing a sports bra and leggings. — Sarah Sotoodeh, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026 With over 2,200 five-star ratings, this sports bra with removable pads is definitely worth checking out. — Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sports bra

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of sports bra was in 1936

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

sports bar

sports bra

sports car

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sports bra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sports%20bra. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

sports bra

noun

Examples of sports bra in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes